The citizens-led coalition, Mass Action Against Economic Saboteurs (MAAES), has cautioned the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against plunging the nation into crisis with threats of a nationwide strike over the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s plan to deploy 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for fuel distribution.

 

In a statement issued on Saturday, the coalition’s president, George Priye West, said NUPENG cannot hold Nigeria hostage under the guise of defending workers’ rights, stressing that union membership is a matter of personal choice, not compulsion.

 

“The Supreme Court has already affirmed that the question of union membership is a fundamental right of the individual. No worker can be forced to join a union against their will,” West said. “Any industrial action called on such flimsy grounds is not about labour rights but a reckless attempt to destabilise Nigeria and inflict suffering on millions of ordinary citizens.”

 

NUPENG had threatened to direct its Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch to stop fuel loading nationwide from September 8, accusing Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices by recruiting drivers allegedly compelled to renounce union membership.

 

MAAES dismissed the allegations as baseless and dangerous, describing them as part of a campaign to frustrate Nigeria’s most ambitious private-sector project. The group lauded the $20 billion refinery as a lifeline for the country, providing jobs, strengthening local capacity, and reducing dependence on imported fuel.

 

“It is shameful that the same unions that watched over the collapse of Nigeria’s government-owned refineries are now plotting against the private refinery that has given the nation renewed hope. Nigerians will not allow this sabotage,” West declared.

 

He urged the Federal Government and security agencies to act decisively to prevent any industrial action capable of disrupting petroleum supply, insisting that such threats amount to economic sabotage.

 

“Any attempt by NUPENG or any group to declare a strike on this hollow basis must be treated as economic sabotage and even as an act of terrorism against the people. The government must not fold its arms while vested interests attempt to blackmail the nation into chaos,” he said.

 

The group further urged Nigerians to ignore threats of scarcity and remain calm, assuring that the Dangote Refinery represents progress, jobs, and self-sufficiency.

 

“The right to join a union is sacred, but so too is the right not to join one. What NUPENG seeks to do is force people into its fold to preserve its relevance. That is not democracy. That is tyranny, and it will not stand,” West said.

 

MAAES reaffirmed its support for the refinery, calling it Nigeria’s best chance to break decades of fuel import dependence.

 

“This refinery is not the enemy; it is a national asset. Those who want to see it fail are not fighting for workers or citizens but for their pockets. Nigerians must see through this and defend the refinery at all costs,” the statement concluded.